188 



PELOBATIOE. 



female the elbows of the male join on the pubic region, 

 and the forearms are carried forwards, pressed against 

 the middle line of the belly, the hands meeting without 

 intercrossing the fingers. Sometimes, however, the 

 embrace is less close, the elbows fitting into the groins, 

 and the forearms forming an angle on the belly. The 

 pairing is usually of short duration, a few hours only, 



Fig. 70. 



Lower view of male and female pairing. 



and the male will, as a rule, let go if handled. Speci- 

 mens kept in confinement by me last winter paired in 

 January, and remained together for nearly three weeks. 



Stagnant water of all sorts is resorted to for the 

 purpose of spawning, provided it be furnished with 

 vegetation, preferably Graminacea, round the stems 

 of which the bands of ova are twined. 



The larvas of the spring broods transform in July 

 and August ; but late offspring of course hibernate 

 in the larval condition, and tadpoles may therefore be 

 found throughout the year. 



Males are more frequent than females; out of 150 

 specimens collected by Lataste in the Gironde during 

 the spring of 1877, only 20 were female. 



